China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi Meets Deputy PM Heng & Minister Balakrishnan During His Visit to S’pore

If someone told me in 2019 that we’d soon be bumping elbows instead of shaking hands in the future, I’d probably say “Ah, that’s… good to know?”, and slowly back away from them.

But here we are, with half our faces covered, bumping elbows like it’s the latest trend.

It’s evidently so popular that even some ministers are doing it.

But wait, who’s that man on the left in both pictures doing the elbow bump with our ministers?

Well, that’s China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Yesterday, Mr Wang met Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan during the first day of his working visit to Singapore.

Here’s what went down:

Reaffirmed Singapore & China’s “Substantive & Long-Standing Relationship”

When ministers get together, they don’t really talk about sports, celebrity couples, or which bubble tea chain is the best.

Instead, they discussed – surprise, surprise – politics. 

Detailing his meeting with Mr Wang in a Facebook post, Dr Balakrishnan said the pair “reaffirmed Singapore and China’s substantive and long-standing relationship.”

“We had an extensive discussion on ways to strengthen our bilateral ties, and the importance of keeping up high‑level interactions,” Dr Balakrishnan wrote.

The two have apparently kept in close contact despite travel restrictions, having met three times in the last eight months.

Dr Balakrishnan said he and Mr Wang both believe in the need to deepen international cooperation, including between ASEAN and China, to tackle the economic challenges of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Mr Wang made known China’s interest in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was welcomed by Dr Balakrishnan.

Mr Heng had a similar conversation with China’s Foreign Minister, saying the relationship between the two countries has progressed even during the pandemic.

They too spoke of the importance of international cooperation in facing the trials and tribulations of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Heng said they talked about how to further strengthen collaboration between our two countries, in areas such as the digital economy and sustainable development.

Mr Heng also looked forward to the 17th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation later this year, which he will co-chair with PRC Vice Premier Han Zheng.

In the JCB, they will discuss cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, finance, the digital economy, public health, and sustainable development, as well as how to move forward in new areas of cooperation.

Mr Wang is expected to meet Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong today (14 Sep), on the second day of his two-day visit to the country.

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Featured Image: Facebook (Heng Swee Keat)